Electrode holder



Patented Feb. 11, 1947 UNlTED STATES .l h'iitl l'i @FFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to electrode holders and primarily to an electrode holder of the screw cap type by which the welding rod is clamped and released.

The electrode holder of the present invention is an improvement over the electrode holder illustrated, described and claimed in the application for Letters Patent of Russel A. Welch, Serial No. 529,562, filed April 5, lQ l-i. The electrode holder embodies insulating handle having a cable terminal therein which is supported in position by a spring-pressed pin. The terminal has an aperture in one end in which the end of the cable is inserted and secured in conducting relation thereto while the opposite end contains an aperture and an external thread. A clamping anvil has a round body portion of a diameter to extend within the aperture in the threaded end of the terminal where it is retained in position by a pin projecting into a slot therein. This permits the anvil to rotate relative to the terminal in which it is supported. Preferably a washer of conductive material, such as copper, is disposed between the bottom of the aperture and the body portion of the anvil to form a bearing between the surfaces when th anvil is forced in position to clamp the welding rod.

An insulated cap is mounted in telescoped relation over the of the insulating handle and contains a conducting head which is secured thereto by a s 'lar spring-pressed pin which secures the ter; .inal to the handle. The head contains an internal thread which extends over the thread of the terminal and a rectan ular slot into which the anvil projects and is moved longitudinall relative thereto. The shoulder of the slot formed with the thread is of shorter length at one side than at the other for the purpose of permitting the latter to engage the projecting end of the anvil to have it position in a predetermined manner in the slot when the handle is screwed into the cap. An angularly disposed slot extend through the insulating cap and extends partway into the head for receiving the end of the welding rod in which it is clamped by the anvil when advanced in the slot as the handle is turned.

Ribs are preferably provided on the outer surface of the cap and the handle which are slotted at the base to provide openings through which heat is conducted from the terminal and head outwardly of the insulating material. This prevents the temperature of the handle and cap from rising to a prohibitive amount and eliminates the necessity of the repeated cooling of the handle in water which is now the common practice.

The present electrode is made up of four parts, the insulating cap, the insulating handle, the conducting head and terminal, the latter two being releasably ass mbled in the cap and handle, respectively, by the spring-pressed pins contained therein.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to construct a welding electrode from an insulating handle, a cap, a cable terminal and a conducting head, the latter of which is mounted threaded relation and releasably secured to the cap and handle, respectively; to releasably mount a terminal within a handle for suppor ing'a cable and a rotatable anvil and having a threaded engagement with the thread of a conducting head which is releasably supported within an insulating cap both of which contain an aperture in which an electrode is conductively retained by the anvil when the cap is rotated on the handle; to form projecting ribs on the exterior and interior surfaces of an insulating handle and cap of an electrode holder having slots extending through the walls at the base of the ribs to form heat passages through the handle and cap; to retain the conducting head and termin-a1 of an electrode holder within an insulating cap and handle, respectively, by springpressed pins which project within apertures in the insulation material and relieve the pins and material from torsional strain by having interlocking ribs on the mating urfaces; and, in general, to provide a completely insulated electrode holder which is simple in construction and economical of manufacture which is constructed of four separate parts which are releasably re tained together.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out orwill become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken View in elevation of an electrode holder embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 2--2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is enlarged sectional View of the struc- I 3 true illustrated in Fig. 3, taken on the line l-i thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 5-42 thereof.

The electrode holder comprises a handle it and a cap ll made of insulating material which has high resistance to burning. The handle contains a reduced end portion it which projects into the open end or" the cap for completely insulating the metal parts contained therein.

The handle iii and the cap it have projecting ribs l8 extending outwardly therefrom,.the base or" the ribs having slots M, as illustrated more specifically in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, which extend entirely through the wall or" the handle. The slots permit the heat developed within the metal parts of the cap and handle to pass through the handle, thereby preventing the temperature or the insu lating material from rising to a point which would require cooling. The handle it insulates a conducting terminal lil having an aperture it therein containing a pair of conducting shoes ll which are clamped to the conductors ill of a cable iii by a set screw An extending end 22 of the terminal 25 has an exterior thread 23 and an interior aperture 2%.

The terminal also contains an aperture 25 in which a headed pin 26 is retained by the metal about the aperture which is peened inwardly to engage the head when urged outwardly by a The end of the pin projects into an aperture 28 in the insulating handle and thereby locks the tel" in fixed relation to the handle. The interior of the handle iii has inwardly projecting spaced. ribs 2% between the slots M which extend within the spaces between ribs Ell provided on the exterior wall oi the terminal This relieves the 2 5 and the insulation about the aperture 28 from any torsional strain when the handle is turned relative to the cap. cap ii receives the conducting head 3?; having the spaced ribs 3% on its exterior surface, the space between which receives the ribs 25 projecting inwardly from the internal wall of the The interior wall portion 33 adjacent to the open end of the cap is reduced in thickness to receive the reduced end ii of the handle. The conducting head is provided with an aperture containing a thread 35 which mates with the thread on the extension 22 of the terminal 55. head 32 contains an aperture 2.5 which may be disposed at an angle to the side thereof 'ned with similar aperture in the cap ii. A i aperture having parallel ilat sides joins the aperture with the aperture An anvil having parallel flat sides, as illustrated in Fig. 3, extends into the aperture El and is advanced relative thereto when the head 3" is'screwed upon the terminal i5. lhe anvil 3% a cylindrical body 3% which extends within the aperture in the extension 22?. and in which it is retained by a pin ii. The pin extends through the wall of the terminal to to have its central portion disposed tangentially in a slot d2 provided near the base of the body 39. The end of the body abuts against a washer ts in the bottom of the aperture ihe washer is made of copper r similar conducting material to permit the body portion to turn freely in the terminal it while increasing the conductivity between. the two abutted surfaces.

It will be noted that the shoulder id in the base of the aperture ti l of the conducting head 32 is ofiset from the shoulder at on the opposite wall, which is desirable to permit the sloping anvil end at to advance in the face sloping in the same manner as the face 46 of the aperture 35 with which it mates. The projecting end of the anvil will pass by the shoulder it as the anvil is advanced within the slot ill" and will strike against the wall adjacent to the shoulder 15 and thereby have the projecting end it of the anvil extend ahead of the shoulder id of the slot.

It will thus be seen that the electrode holder is made of four parts, the handle, the cap, the terminal and conducting head. The conducting head is releasably retained in the cap by the spring-pressed pin which projects in an aperture in the cap. The conducting terminal is retained within the handle by a similar pin projecting into a similar aperture in the handle. Both or the conducting members are retained within the handle against turning by projecting ribs which interlock with each other, which eliminates any torsional strain on the pins when the handle is turned relative to the cap. The cap is always maintained in telescoping relation with the handle and all or" the metal parts of the holder are entirely insulated.

The metal parts are preferably made of an alloy of aluminum having high thermal and electric conductivity which substantially reduces the tendency to heat and reduces the weight of the holder. The entire holder weighs approximately twelve ounces, which relieves the welder from the fatigue which is experienced when working with electrode holders of greater weight. By employinsulating material in the handle and cap, which resists burning, and by providing slots therethrough at the base of exterior ribs, the handle and cap are kept cool and the life of the holder is substantially increased.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrode holder having an insulated handie and cap disposed in telescoping relation, a conducting head within the cap, a conducting terminal within the handle in threaded relation to the head, spring-pressed pins carried by the cap and terminal having locking relation with the cap and handle, and an anvil rotatably mounted on the terminal having a projecting portion provided with flat sides, said cap having an aperture with flat sides in which the anvil moves longitudinally and is retained against rotation as the cap is advanced on the handle.

2. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and ternal the base of the ribs on the interior exterior of the handle being aligned with each other, a conducting terminal having ribs nesting with the ribs on the interior of said handle, an insulating cap, and a conducting head within the cap adjustably secured on said terminal.

3. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and ex ternal ribs, the base of the ribs on the interior and exterior of the handle being aligned with each other and being separated by slots extending through the wall of the handle, a conducting terminal having ribs nesting with the ribs on the interior of said handle, an insulating cap, and a conductin head within the cap adjustably secured on said terminal.

4. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and exslot 3'! with the ternal ribs, the base of the ribs on the interior and exterior of the handle being aligned with each other, a conducting terminal having an aperture for receiving and clamping a conductor of a cable, and spaced ribs on the exterior wall of the terminal interlocking with the ribs on the interior wall of the handle when assembled therein.

5. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and eX- ternal ribs, the base of the ribs on the interior and exterior of the handle being aligned with each other, a conducting terminal having an aperture for receiving and clamping a conductor of a cable, spaced ribs on the exterior Wall of the terminal interlocking with the ribs on the interior wall of the handle when assembled therein, a spring-pressed pin extending from the wall of the terminal engageable with an aperture in the handle for locking the terminal against longitudinal movement, a threaded extension on the terminal projecting from beyond the end of the handle and containing a central aperture, an anvil having parallel sides and a circular body portion the latter of which projects in the aperture in the terminal extension, and means for retaining said body portion within the aperture while permitting it to rotate therein.

6. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and external ribs, the base of the ribs on the interior and exterior of the handle being aligned with each other, a conducting terminal having an aperture for receiving and clamping a conductor of a cable, spaced ribs on the exterior wall of the terminal interlocking with the ribs on the interior wall of the handle when assembled therein, a spring-pressed pin extending from the wall of the terminal engageable with an aperture in the handle for locking the terminal against longitudinal movement, a threaded extension on the terminal projecting from beyond the end of the handle and containing a central aperture, an anvil having parallel sides and a circular body portion the latter of which projects in the aperture in the terminal extension, means for retaining said body portion within the aperture while permitting it to rotate therein, and a conducting washer in the bottom or the aperture engageable with the bottom end of the body portion of the anvil.

'7. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and external ribs, the base of the ribs on the interior and exterior of the handle being aligned with each other, a conducting terminal having an aperture for receiving and clamping a conductor of a cable, spaced ribs on the exterior wall of the terminal interlocking with the ribs on the interior wall of the handle when assembled therein, a sprin -pressed pin extending from the Wall of the terminal engageable with an aperture in the handle for locking the terminal against longitudinal movement, a threaded extension on the terminal projecting from beyond the end of the handle and containing a central aperture, an anvil having parallel sides and a circular body portion the latter of which projects in the aperture in the terminal extension, means for retaining said body portion within the aperture while permitting it to rotate therein, a conducting washer in the bottom of the aperture engageable with the bottom end of the body portion of the anvil, and a conducting head having a hollow and containing parallel sides and a thread engageable with the thread of the terminal extension and secured within the insulating cap.

8. In an electrode holder, a handle made of insulating material having a hollow interior and containing spaced projecting internal and external ribs, the base of the ribs on the interior and exterior of the handle being aligned with each other, a conductin terminal having an aperture for receiving and clamping a conductor of a cable, spaced ribs on the exterior Wall of the terminal interlocking with the ribs on the interior wall of the handle when assembled therein, a spring-pressed pin extending from the Wall of the terminal engageable with an aperture in the handle for locking the terminal against longitudinal movement, a threaded extension on the terminal projecting from beyond the end of the handle and containing a central aperture, an anvil havin parallel sides and a circular body portion the latter of which projects in the aperture in the terminal extension, means for retaining said body portion within the aperture while permitting it to rotate therein, a conducting washer in the bottom of the aperture engageable with the bottom end of the body portion of the anvil, a conducting head having a, hollow end containing a thread engageable with the thread of the terminal extension and secured within the insulating cap, said conducting head and cap having an aperture extending therein through the side wall of the cap, and an aperture having parallel sides connecting the first said aperture to the hollow end of the cap.

9. In an electrode holder, a handle containing a cable terminal having a threaded projecting end containing an aperture, an anvil having parallel sides and a cylindrical body portion which extends within the aperture and is retained therein against longitudinal displacement, an insulating cap, a conducting head within the insulating cap having a fiat-sided aperture joining with an aperture which extends through the side Wall of the head and cap for receiving the end of a welding rod, one of said flat sides being shorter than the other, the end of the anvil being sloping so as to have the longer side engage the projecting end of the anvil and thereby have the anvil advance in the parallel-sided slot with the projecting end in a desired position.

RUSSEL A. WELCl-I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,330,931 Stafford Oct. 5, 1943 2,343,799 Radabaugh Mar. 7, 1944 2,364,508 Bernard Dec. 5, 1944 2,118,274 Sweda May 24, 1938 2,094,121 Harvey Sept. 28, 1937 2,175,871 Bourne Oct. 10, 1939 2,342,966 Paulson Feb. 29, 1944 

